Stuck With You
by sweetreject
Summary: Sasuke finds a little girl on his front porch, who looks a lot like Sakura. What he doesn't know is that it really IS Sakura, stuck in her three year old's body! SasuSaku
1. Stuck

**Stuck With You  
by sweetreject**

Chapter One:  
Stuck

* * *

"Tch, I can't believe I'm out of tomatoes again…" Opening the front door, Sasuke took a step forward, but something made him stop halfway.

In front of him stood a little girl, probably three or four, with bouncy pink hair and bright emerald eyes. The first thing that popped into Sasuke's mind was _Sakura_. Only, this little girl _couldn't _be Sakura; Sakura was away on a mission. Besides, how could Sakura have turned into a little girl?

The little girl was staring up at him, her big green eyes boring into his. After a few seconds of this, she suddenly smiled brightly and jumped on him. Now, Sasuke had been trained to be alert at all times, so it embarrassed him to realize that he'd been tackled down onto the floor by a three-year-old. She was hugging him tightly, her small arms around his waist. He tried to pull her off, but she held on tight. Again, he was reminded of Sakura. Who was this little girl? And why wasn't she letting him go? It was like she had superhuman strength…

"Hey, let go already…" She stood up instantly. Sasuke did the same, brushing off any dust that might be on his shorts. "Who are you, anyway? What's your name?"

She stared up at him again, her eyes now full of sadness. She couldn't tell him who she was, even if she wanted to. Her mouth wouldn't form the words. It was like some sort of spell had been cast on her, preventing her from telling him her name. "My…name?" She cocked her head sideways, looking up at him cutely.

"Yes. Do you know what your name is?"

She opened her mouth again, but no sound came out. Shaking her head, she muttered, "No name…"

"Hm. Your parents wouldn't want you out here at this time of night; it's after ten. Where do you live?"

Again, she only stared up at him. Sasuke sighed. He wasn't very patient, so kids got on his nerves easily. "You don't have anywhere to go?"

She shook her head. _If only I could tell you who I was, Sasuke-kun…_

Another sigh. Sasuke leaned down and picked her up. She blushed, but wrapped her arms around his neck. Taking her inside, he closed the door behind him and walked into the living room. After thinking for a while, he decided to go to the Hokage. Maybe she'd know who the girl's parents were.

* * *

At the Hokage's office, Sasuke had just finished explaining the situation to a very grumpy Tsunade, who he'd woken up from a nap. "She doesn't even know her own name."

"She reminds me of Sakura. Doesn't she look exactly like her?"

A nod. "What are you going to do with her?"

"The solution is simple; take care of her until someone comes and tells me their kid is missing."

"You can't be serious."

"But I am."

"…you want me to _baby-sit_?"

"Consider it a mission. For all we know, she could be the daughter of a powerful landlord who went out to play and got lost. What would he say if you just let the kid get herself killed?"

"…"

"Take her home with you. For now, we'll name her…Yuzu. Yeah, that. She'll be Yuzu, alright, Uchiha?"

Sasuke could only nod.

* * *

Walking through the front door of his house, he sighed again. He had to take care of a kid? That was like putting together orange juice and tooth paste; it didn't go together well. He didn't even _know _how to take care of kids!

The little girl, referred to as Yuzu from now on, was staring at him again. Her eyes were _definitely _like Sakura's. Nobody else had the same eyes. Maybe she was…

Sakura's daughter? It was possible. She wasn't a little girl anymore; but she wasn't a woman yet, either. _I mean, nineteen means she's old enough to have a kid; if Yuzu's three, Sakura would have been sixteen when she_—_…_ He shook his head. No way would Sakura fool around with another guy; she still loved him, and he knew that. Even if he didn't pay attention to her feelings…But what if she was desperate, and pretended that another guy was Sasuke? How much _did _she love him, anyway?

_That's beside the point._

Looking down at Yuzu again, he picked her up and carried her to the guest room.

Yuzu had her own problems to think about. She really was stuck in her three-year-old body. _He really did it…it wasn't a dream. I really am stuck in my three-year-old body. Now I won't be able to turn back into my old self again. So what was the point of saving me? Those ninja weren't going to let us leave, and because I wanted to stay and fight, he got hurt. I'm so stupid…if only I'd… He should have just let me die, and saved himself. I don't even remember what happened before I passed out. What if he's…dead? _Yuzu shook her head. No, she couldn't be thinking so negatively right now. Sasuke was going to take care of her. If she did this carefully, then he'd soon realize who she really was: his old teammate. From when they were still Team 7.

After placing her on the bed, Sasuke left the room and went back to his. He was just about to pull the covers up to keep himself warm when he heard the door open.

Yuzu was standing there, still holding onto the doorknob. The small blanket Sasuke had given her was in her other hand, clutched tightly to her chest. Even if she _was _a seventeen-year-old stuck in a little girls body, the fear of sleeping alone in a strange place still scared her.

Sasuke didn't move to get up, saying, "Go back to bed."

She didn't move. She was staring at him with those wide eyes of hers.

"Go to bed," he said, a little more roughly. Too roughly, it seemed, because Yuzu started to cry. First a tear rolled down her cheek, then another, and they kept falling out. She started sobbing, her shoulders shaking.

Sasuke stood up with a sigh and walked over to her. Yuzu took a step back, thinking he was mad at her and would hit her, but instead, he picked her up, placing her on the bed next to him. After covering them both with the blanket, he pulled her closer to him awkwardly, and she rested her head on his arm, her little arms wrapping around him. At this, his grip on her tightened a little, and she felt herself blush again.

She giggled. "Sasu-ke-kuuuun!"

"That's my name. Now go to sleep."

* * *

Sasuke was already asleep.

Yuzu tried hard not to cry. But the same thought kept running through her head, making silent tears roll down her face and onto Sasuke's t-shirt. _If it was the older me, you would've ignored me when I cried, wouldn't you, Sasuke-kun…_

* * *

Opening her eyes slowly, Yuzu yawned. It was morning, the sun shining through the open curtains. Rubbing her eyes sleepily, she turned around to find herself alone in Sasuke's room. Where was Sasuke, anyway? She was sure he had been holding her the whole night.

Getting off the bed, she walked into the living room, where she bumped into someone. Looking up, she smiled widely when she realized who it was. Relief shot through her; she had really missed this guy. Giggling, she pronounced every syllable in his name. "Na-ru-tooo!"

* * *

**A/N: **Um…that wasn't too horrible, was it? I hope not.

Okay, so Sakura is stuck looking like her three-year-old self, and the reason for that will be explained in the next chapter, or the one after that.

Sasuke was actually a little nice to her, because he knows what it's like to have your parents ignore you when you cried. So I guess he sees her as a temporary daughter…?

Anyway, it'll make more sense later on. c:


	2. Missing

**Stuck With You  
****by sweetreject**

Chapter 2:  
Missing

* * *

Yuzu was more than happy to see Naruto sitting in Sasuke's living room, which lead to her jumping on him, giggling. She watched, with some amusement, as his face changed expressions from surprised, to confused, then to more surprise, then shock, and suddenly he yelled out, "Sasuke-teme! Why didn't you tell me you had a kid? I can't believe you got laid before I did! Wait, you chose someone who isn't Sakura-chan? You _bastard_!"

At this, Sasuke walks back into the living room, his anger under control, though it was taking all his strength not to punch Naruto through the wall. "Naruto, you baka, could you have said that _any _louder? And stop talking about those things; she's just a kid."

Naruto's eyes widened. He grinned and started playing with Yuzu again. "But, Sasuke, I can't believe you didn't _tell _me. Your _best _and most _loyal _friend of all time who you would give your life for! Where was she when I came over? Did you hide her? Or was she outside in the cold, with no food, slowly dying, and—"

"I _swear_, if you don't shut up in the next two seconds, I am going to _kill you_," Sasuke's voice was almost a growl, having had too much when Naruto started to get ideas from movies. Sighing, he looked down at Yuzu, who was still in Naruto's lap, and stated very calmly, "She is _not _my child; the Hokage has asked me to take care of her while she finds her parents."

"You mean that old bat left you with this kid!" Yuzu almost glared at him. "Why didn't she ask ME!" At this, she couldn't help but giggle. Naruto could be such a crybaby sometimes. Calming down a tad, he raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why'd she ask _you_, anyway? No offence, but you have _got _to be the worst choice for a babysitter. I mean, you hate kids. Not to mention girls."

A vein throbbed on his forehead. "This is a _mission_, not babysitting."

Naruto shrugged, more concentrated on bouncing Yuzu up and down on his leg, hearing her giggles all around the room. "Call it what you want. It still sounds like babysitting to me; the Hokage might've called it a mission, but she's always lying, teme. Hey, what's her name?"

"Yuzu."

"Hello, Yuzu-chan! Nice to meet you! My name's Naruto!" He played with her a little more, while Sasuke cleaned up the mess Naruto had made. Naruto stopped moving, however, when he remembered something. "Hey, she called me Naruto before…"

"Hm? You told her your name. Why wouldn't she call you that?"

"No, I mean before I even told her my name!" Yuzu's eyes widened. What if Naruto had finally figured it out? She'd be saved! "SHE MUST BE ONE OF MY FAN GIRLS!" Yuzu almost fell over. _Never mind, I give Naruto too much credit… _Her eyes become dazed, slowly turning tearful. _I have to make them realize it's me! If I don't, then I'll be stuck like this forever! Everyone will think I'm dead, and then Sasuke-kun will marry another girl…No! I'm gonna make them know it's me! I have to! I'll…_

Sasuke stared as Naruto and Yuzu seemed to be having fun. He stood up and snatched her out of Naruto's arms, receiving a, "SASUKE-TEME, GIVE HER BACK!"

He held her tighter, making her blush. "Yeah, right. So you can turn her into a loser like you?"

"GHRAA! Sasuke-teme…!"

* * *

"Well, it was fun, but I gotta go. Hinata-chan'll be mad if I'm late to train with her again!" He stood up, only to stop at the door, his hand on the doorknob. "Oh, and Sasuke?"

Sasuke looked over at him, Naruto's back to him. "Hm?" Naruto rarely ever called him by only his name; he'd regularly use 'teme' after his name. Something must be bothering him. "What?"

"Sakura-chan…they just got word from another team. The mission was a failure, they all died…found the bodies all cut up. And…" He paused for a moment. "There were two bodies that weren't found; Sakura-chan was one of them. Kakashi-sensei just went out with a search team, but they don't think she made it. They think that she…that she's dead."

Silence.

Yuzu didn't know what to do; she began to squirm in Sasuke's arms, unconsciously biting her lower lip nervously. She wanted to know what happened to _him_, the one who'd 'saved' her. _Naruto just said __**two **__bodies were missing, which means… _Sasuke voiced the question she longed to ask. "I thought Gaara was supposed to be on this mission as well…why didn't _he _protect her?"

"That's just it, Sasuke. He's missing too."

_Oh crap. _She didn't know which was worse; knowing he could either be dead or alive, or not knowing at all. If his body hadn't been found…then maybe he went looking for her afterwards? She didn't want to believe he was dead; it would be all her fault, and she didn't want anyone to die because of her.

"Sasuke, what if Sakura-chan really _is _dead?"

Sasuke didn't say anything. Without another word, he turned around and left.

* * *

He needed to get all this stress out; he needed to punch something. Of course, he had company; everywhere he went, he had to take Yuzu with him. And even if he hated to admit it, she reminded him of Sakura.

Her eyes, especially. They held that same understanding, the same look Sakura always had whenever she was alone with the Uchiha. But he might not get to see that look again; there was a fifty percent chance that she might be dead…He seriously needed to punch something.

Punching a hunk of wood wasn't helping the least bit. He _felt _tired, but nothing more. Swinging at the now poor-excuse of a tree, he cursed again. No matter _how _hard he tried, the image of Sakura smiling didn't leave his mind. Even if he called her annoying, it was still some kind of relief to know someone would always be waiting for him if he ever needed someone. And even if he'd push her away and tell her she was worthless, she'd still be there. By his _stupid bastardly _self.

She never once complained. Not even when he showed up at her doorstep on that cold rainy night, shortly after killing his brother. He had become a nervous wreck, and the moment he'd stopped to think, he wondered exactly why it was _her _he came to, and not someone else. Naruto would have probably been his first choice, had he been thinking clearly. But, secretly, _selfishly_, he'd wanted to be with someone who'd take care of him because she _loved _him.

He only called her affection annoying because sometimes it _was _true. At times he loathed himself deeply, thinking how he just used his friends for his own well-being. But he couldn't stop; _she _wouldn't stop. She needed to stop loving him, or it would eventually make her into a cold heartless being. One much like himself.

The tree split in half, two more trees behind that one following suit. He was panting now, his knuckles bruised to the point where the skin was ripping off. He got back into position, and started punching away at another hunk of wood.

If she was truly dead…who would he go to? Even when he'd just unexpectedly shown up at her doorstep, all she did was stare in shock, then usher him inside as if it was just another day to her. True, she had flipped out on him when he recuperated a little, but that was to be expected, _especially _the (very powerful) punch. After that, she treated him like she always did, though he felt like her love for him wasn't as strongly showed as before. And in the time he'd been gone, she'd attained a few…_male suitors_. He'd almost lost it when he saw others obtaining her attention, making her blush, or smile, giving her gifts…He knew he would never do this, and that was because he didn't love her. She was a teammate, a friend; nothing more. Still…it made him uncomfortable to know how others noticed her as well, like Inuzuka; he was always following her around, telling her how pretty she was, always asking her out, making her blush.

Another tree went down, and he moved to the next.

So, what would he do if she was dead? It wasn't like he could replace her. Whenever he felt like something was too overwhelming, he'd go to her. And she'd welcome him with open arms, no matter if it was in the afternoon or in the middle of the night. Something only she'd seen…and that was him crying. He didn't know why, but she always made him feel better afterwards, and she only had to sit near him, close enough for him to feel her body heat against his, and he'd calm down. The same went for when he felt like killing…He'd hurt her, too. Dug his nails so deep into her skin it made her bleed. Yet she didn't complain or wince at the pain, only holding his hand tighter. Being _kind _to him, while he sometimes treated her like dirt…

The fifth tree went down, and Sasuke realized it was already dark outside. He turned to look at where he'd told Yuzu to stay, and there she was, waiting for him. He must have been going at it for hours; she was still in the same position he'd left her. It kind of reminded him of Sakura…

_Damn it, just stop. She's not here…she's missing, while you're stuck taking care of a kid. _Stopping to look back at the little girl, who had some difficulty keeping up with him, he scooped her up and continued his way home. _Though this kid looks a lot like her…_

* * *

"Sasuke-kun?"

"Hm?"

Sasuke had given up on trying to make Yuzu sleep in the guest room, so now he had her next to him, her little hand right next to his face, holding a lock of his hair. "Rain's coming…" she whispered.

He wondered what exactly she was talking about for ten seconds before he heard a light drizzle outside, signaling the start of a thunder storm that night. Again, he was reminded of Sakura; she hated thunder storms. The thunder was what scared her. The way Yuzu's voice quivered, he guessed she was scared of storms as well. Hugging her closer, he sighed. Tonight might be a long one. Hopefully, she wouldn't cry.

_(fan fiction spacing)_

Once he was asleep, she grabbed his hands, placing her little palms over his knuckles. They were bandaged, but still bruised. All she needed to do was concentrate…and done, she'd healed them. She could stay with him forever, if she didn't find a way to turn back. _Maybe staying a kid…isn't so bad, after all._

* * *

_I should probably get up…_Yawning, she scooted closer to Sasuke, only to realize her chest was getting in the way. Her eyes shot open. _Wait…my breasts? _Looking down quickly, her eyes widened; she was back to her older self. A grunt next to her. _Oh crap… _She was naked…and Sasuke was waking up.


	3. Confusion

_**Stuck With You  
by sweetreject**_

_Chapter 3:  
__Confusion_

* * *

There were 5 things Sasuke had learned about kids:

**1. Give them candy, and they shut up.**

**2. If they start whining, just give them more candy.**

**3. If they can't sleep at night, hold them close, and they're out instantly.**

**4. Sometimes they can remind you of someone you can't stop thinking about.**

And **5. They wake up earlier than you do.**

Which is what he's just realized. His eyes were still closed, but he knew she was awake; her breathing wasn't even. But…her breathing was longer, not shorter like a kid should have them. Maybe he wasn't hearing correctly?

He opened his eyes, and they grew wide instantly.

A completely naked Sakura sat on his bed, large eyes staring down at him in horror. It was a good thing her arms were crossed over her breasts, her hands over her mouth, the sheets wrapping around her legs. Sasuke gulped. If he wasn't known as the coldest ice cube on Earth, he would have seriously had a nosebleed right now. He gulped again, then cleared his throat. "S…Sakura?"

Sakura's eyes brimmed with tears, and before Sasuke could even register what was going on, she'd thrown herself on top of him, crying her eyes out. She hadn't heard him call her by her real name since she'd left on that mission, which had been more than four months ago (the mission, not her stay at Sasuke's house). It was still like when she was her younger self, though; she couldn't speak about what happened, not a single word. Which meant the jutsu used on her hadn't just worn off; this was probably only temporary.

Sasuke was a boy; a man, more specifically, and when a man is hugged by a naked (and_ very _attractive) female…well, they don't know what to make of it. Sasuke sure didn't; he just laid there, Sakura on top of him, before he felt like he might explode if she didn't let go anytime soon. I mean sure, he didn't care about girls, or sex, or anything like that, but he _was _human, after all. Hormones came whether he liked it or not.

"Sakura. Get off." Surprisingly, he didn't stutter. His hands were clenched tightly, and his breathing was slower; he didn't want to do anything he might regret later. Anyway, she had some explaining to do. Where was Yuzu? And how come she was in his bed, _naked_? He didn't remember doing anything last night, except holding Yuzu while the thunderstorm outside went on. _Now that I think about it, Yuzu's and Sakura's chakra…feel the same._ His eyebrows furrowed. _When I went to sleep, Yuzu was next to me; and when I woke up, Sakura was in her place. What the hell…? _It was even more confusing when Sakura let go of him exactly when he'd told her to; just like the first time he'd met Yuzu. This was just too confusing.

He sat up quickly, taking off his shirt and throwing it over her head. "Put that on." She did exactly that. Now with a (slightly) less naked Sakura, he could ask her a few questions. "What are you doing in my bed?"

Sakura's only response was a stare, more tears making their way down her cheeks and onto the covers. Her hands were at her sides now, and his shirt looked a few sizes too big on her, one of the sleeves hanging loosely on her arm, her shoulder bare.

"Sakura, answer the question."

More silence.

"What, can't you speak?"

She shook her head, and it was at that moment that he finally noticed something. A small dress lay next to Sakura, the very one Yuzu had worn to bed last night. Something was _definitely _wrong here.

* * *

Sasuke watched as Sakura ate her breakfast, his mind more confused than ever. During the time that Sakura had disappeared on her mission, he found Yuzu on his front porch without any idea who she was or where she lived. Then, when Sakura appeared, _naked_, in his bed, Yuzu was the one who disappeared. And to top it all off, Sakura hasn't spoken a word. Whenever he tried asking her something, all she did was stare, or open her mouth as if about to say something, but then close it and shake her head.

He had to admit to himself, though, that he was relieved to know she wasn't dead. He wasn't mad anymore about finding her in his bed that morning, but he _was _pissed off about something else. She was the cause of his training late last night, the cause of all his _stupid _worrying. He'd punched at wood for so long his knuckles had been throbbing all night—

"Did _you _do this?" He lifted up both hands, the bandages now ripped off. He hadn't even noticed when they'd stopped hurting…

Sakura nodded, biting her lower lip. She was still only wearing his t-shirt, which (he was relieved to see) reached down far enough to conceal some…_places _he was still not ready to see.

"Ah." Turning his attention to the window, he muttered a "Thanks." He snuck a glance in her direction, quickly looking away when he saw her smiling at him.

"You have to go to the Hokage; she'll want to know that you're alive."

His back was still facing her, so he couldn't see her reaction to this until he heard soft footsteps come from behind him. Sakura's hand appeared on his shoulder, and he turned his head to look at her. She shook her head, and he asked, "What, you don't want her to know?" A nod. "She's not going to be very happy about this." He couldn't understand why she didn't want the Hokage to know she was alright, and the sad look she gave him added to his confusion. "Why?"

It was getting really frustrating, not being able to speak. She couldn't even tell him the reason he had to keep it a secret was because she might turn into her three-year-old self again at any minute! Maybe she'd turned back into her normal self because the jutsu was at its weakest?

The calendar hanging on the wall next to Sasuke caught her attention, and she looked at today's date. It was a full moon last night, which could only mean…_His jutsu drew power from the moon, so when it's at its fullest, it gets all jumbled up, and all that power distorts the jutsu, making me into my older self again! _This also meant she'd turn back into a three-year-old as soon as the day was over, when the sun set.

"I don't understand why you want to keep it a secret, but whatever. If you don't want her to know, I won't tell her."

Sakura turned to look at him. Smiling, she fought off the urge to hug him, like she would do when she was still 'Yuzu'.

"But, you have to return the favor, and not tell anyone about this." She was about to raise an eyebrow at him, wondering what he was talking about, when she felt his arms snake around her waist, pulling her closer, against his chest. At first all she did was go rigid, but soon she was hugging him back, feeling one of his hands stay around her, the other through her hair. She couldn't see his face; it was hidden in her hair, his head resting on her neck, the spot where it seemed to fit perfectly.

They stayed like this for a while, Sasuke's grip on her never loosening. And as he grew accustomed to her body against his, he knew he had every right to be doing this; she'd made him worry enough.

* * *

It was four-thirty in the afternoon, and all Sasuke had gotten from Sakura was a blank stare and a bunch of unanswered questions. He'd given up a while back, sitting across from her on another armchair. The silence made him realize how much he was used to hearing her talk, while he would only listen. Now the roles were reversed, and he didn't like it; it felt too quiet.

"How long, exactly, are you going to keep this a secret? Naruto might barge in at any minute, and when he sees you…"

She shrugged, her eyes drifting over to the window. These days, the sun set at an early hour, so by five, maybe six, she'd most likely turn back into a three-year-old. _I don't like being in this body, it's tiring. I can barely even keep myself awake; it's like my chakra is being used up to do this. I actually want to turn back into a little kid again…_

Sasuke grunted. "So annoying…" Sighing, he looked over at her and frowned. When he'd said this was annoying, he'd meant the _situation _was annoying, not _her_. The look on her face clearly stated that she'd thought he was talking about her being annoying. "Hey, don't look at me like that."

An eyebrow raised in question, her head turned sideways. How was she looking at him?

Sasuke wasn't looking at her; he was looking out the window (again). "You're making that face again."

Sakura had _no _idea what he was talking about. What face?

"You always do that when you want something from me. It's irritating." The look that made him feel strange inside, like something was waking up in there. He sighed. "Just like a little kid."

He was calling her a kid! This got her stubborn side out, and she couldn't help but stick her tongue out at him. If she couldn't use words against him, then she'd make her tongue do the work, even if it was silly.

He smirked. "Really. I would've thought you'd be more mature, Sakura. Such a childish thing to do."

She smiled at him, and with a little struggle, she got up and sat next to him. Now this was a little _too _close; the armchair _was _only built for one person, so obviously she was sitting almost completely on top of him. A blush started to form on his cheeks when he felt her small frame press against his, and he remembered the events earlier that day, when _he'd _hugged _her_. A deeper shade of red spread across his face when he remembered that she wasn't wearing anything under that shirt… no matter how hard he tried to stop it. Uchiha's. DO. _NOT. __**BLUSH.**_

It was either he was imagining it, or she was actually getting _warmer_. And she was…_shining_?_ What the…? _Before Sasuke could say anything, Sakura was completely enveloped in light, and he had to close his eyes quickly. He heard a small intake of breath, and opened his eyes. Sitting in his lap, wearing his over-sized shirt, was _Yuzu_.

"Yuzu? But Sakura—" He stopped suddenly, everything from that day finally clicking into place. What if Yuzu and Sakura were the same person? Now that he thought about it, it _was _possible to convert your body back into its younger self, although it'd require a large amount of chakra, something most ninja didn't have. Well, except for one sand ninja, who'd gone missing on the same mission she had.

"Sakura?"

Yuzu looked up at him, a sad smile playing on her lips. "Hai…"

Sasuke's head was spinning. _What the hell was going on?_

* * *

"You mean to tell me, that you _can't _turn back? How'd you do that today, then?"

"The moon, Sasuke-kun." Now that Sasuke had figured out part of what was going on, she could tell him some things, without feeling her throat clench up because of the jutsu. "It's connected to Gaara-kun."

"Ah." Frowning down at her, he sighed, irritated. "You have absolutely no idea where he is. You don't know when you'll turn back, or if you'll ever _be _able to turn back. The only thing you know is that it was a jutsu, performed by Gaara. What's up with that?"

"It was either this, or die." Her voice was serious, but Sasuke found it hard to look at this as serious as it was; it was like he really _was _speaking with a three-year-old about something unimportant.

"Either live, or die. And Gaara? What about him; is he dead?"

Sakura shrugged her small shoulders. "I fainted before he could tell me anything about this jutsu. He might be dead, Sasuke-kun."

Looking away, Sasuke tried to ignore the worried look on Sakura's face; she didn't have to be _that _worried about him. _I mean, when did they get so close that he'd give his life to save her instead of himself? _A sudden thought struck him, and he frowned again. He'd been gone for almost four years, so _of course _there was enough time for them to become closer. Why hadn't he thought of that? _I don't __**want **__to remember my time at Orochimaru's. It's the reason most people still don't trust me. The reason I had to start over again._

"Sasuke-kun?" He glanced at her. "I need to go potty…"

"Right now?"

"Un."

"Then go." He motioned with one hand, pointing out for her to go. She was already halfway there anyway. Damn, she looked exactly like she could be Sakura's daughter; would _his _kids look like that as well if they both— "Whoa there, enough thinking for the day…" And he had to take care of her until she learned how to turn back into her older self? "I need… a shower." He heard a splash coming from the bathroom, followed by a loud shriek, which could only be Sakura's. Another sigh.

Taking care of a younger Sakura was going to be hard, he could tell. And if she never found the way to undo the jutsu, what _exactly _would he do? He wanted the older version back. He _needed _her.


	4. Words

**Stuck With You  
by sweetreject**

Chapter 4:  
Words

* * *

Watching Yuzu sleep, Sasuke realized something. Just the other day, he'd given her a bath, before he knew that she was really Sakura. This realization made his face warmer, and he cursed his stupid mind for it. No _wonder _she had been so red; he'd thought the water had been too hot. But in reality, she was blushing because he'd given her a bath! Well at least she had been in her three-year-old body; if she'd been her older self, well…

He had to stop thinking; _NOW_. Thinking of those things…and about his own _teammate_…his _friend_…that was a big bold **NO **in his book. But _she _was the one doing this to him. And he didn't know how to react to this weird, and _unwanted_, feeling in his stomach. If anything, it made him feel sick.

Sighing, he decided it would be best if he got even a _little _bit of sleep; sitting up in bed with Yuzu next to him, sound asleep, wasn't getting him anywhere. And _man_, was he tired.

* * *

"Ano, Sasuke-kun, how long are you going to train?"

He shrugged. Right now he was too busy punching away at those stupid trees again, since Naruto had gone on another mission looking for Sakura, leaving him without a sparring partner (plus, the Inuzuka wasn't around to pummel into the ground, either). So that left him to train on his own, Sakura sitting on a fallen tree nearby.

She was happy just sitting there, watching him train, until a bunch of girls came along to ogle him as well. In a very oh-em-gee-he's-so-hot-I-want-to-screw-him-senseless-kind-of-way. Which showed how much they wanted him, even if it resulted in raping the great Uchiha Sasuke.

Yuzu shuddered as she remembered when _she'd _been that crazy about him, and would do the same thing that was running through their minds at the moment. Good thing that was in the past.

Now, if only they would just go away…they were so engrossed in staring at Sasuke's bare chest, they hadn't even noticed she was there! What would they think if she made herself known? They didn't know this was Haruno Sakura, Team 7's happiest member, and the one all three of the respected and well known shinobi would give their lives for in a heartbeat. But hey, she couldn't just let them _look _at him like that!

"Sasuke-kun, let's go home!"

Okay, that wasn't what she wanted to say, but hey, she was in a three-year-old's body; what good would it do to fight against four kunoichi's who were fully grown and could coordinate better than she could at the moment? It would only bring _her _pain. Then again, she never expected what happened next.

Sasuke had turned to look at Yuzu, also noticing the girls standing a few feet away from her. Nodding, he turned back to collect his shirt which had landed near the first fallen tree. That left the girls staring at Yuzu, looking her over as a thought formed in all of their minds.

"Ew, no way! It can't be!"

"But they look the same! Look, even the yucky pink hair is there!"

"Oh-em-_gee_! Sasuke-kun would _never _do it with something like Sakura! He just wouldn't!"

"Then…how do you explain that? She's sitting right there; Sasuke-kun's daughter! Why else would she be with him?"

Yuzu stiffened. _What? _They thought she was _Sasuke's _daughter? Weird…and that meant, that they thought _she_, Sakura, was the mother? She could just feel herself starting to laugh…

"Yuzu, let's go."

Right; Sasuke didn't care about these things. Why should she? "Hai!"

Anyway, if rumors spread around that they had a child, well, it wouldn't really matter. And who would actually think that she'd get pregnant at _sixteen_? Because to have a three-year-old daughter now, she'd have to have gotten pregnant then, and everyone knew Sakura was too pure, and would never do something like that at such a young age…

Sasuke had been gone for almost four years, and when he'd come back at the age of fifteen, _she'd _been the one he went to. Not Naruto. Not Kakashi. And that, in itself, gave her the feeling that Sasuke cared about her, too.

Even now, when he had to take care of her, he didn't complain. Oh, how she loved him for it…She didn't _have _to turn back into her older self; she had Sasuke back now, and that was all that mattered…

…right?

* * *

Sasuke couldn't help it; watching Yuzu try to reach for something high up on a shelf was just too hilarious to pass on. He'd walked in on her standing on the counter in the bathroom, her little hand reaching out for something. But in her state, she was still too short to reach it, and Sasuke had thought it pretty amusing to just watch her struggling, him leaning against the doorframe (_meanie_).

"Ne, Sasuke-kun, can you help me?"

"Ah, right." Getting the wanted object off the shelf and handing it to her, he watched her jump off the counter, running out of sight through the door. For the past two weeks, he'd been doing this same thing whenever he caught her struggling. And instead of feeling annoyed by it, he actually didn't mind.

That, of course, had to do with the time he'd come back to Konoha. Sakura had turned into a strong kunoichi, protecting others, instead of _being _protected, like he'd seen before. And now that he had had that urge to protect her, she didn't need to be protected, because she was strong enough to do so herself.

Her younger self _did _bring back memories, though. And, if he wasn't so stubborn, he would have noticed that protecting and watching over her was becoming a habit. One that he pretty much enjoyed.

* * *

"Hey Sasuke! I heard you're taking care of a kid who looks a lot like Sakura!"

Great. He'd gone out to buy some groceries while Yuzu was stuck in bed with a slight fever, and _this _had to happen. Meeting Inuzuka on his way home. What did he ever do to deserve this?

"What's it to you?"

Kiba grinned, shrugging. "Just thought I'd check if it was true."

"Well now you know; now go away."

"Hey man, don't be that way. Can I see her? I haven't seen Sakura in _months_, and it's killing me. Maybe seeing her will help."

Sasuke stayed quiet.

"Can I come over later, then?"

"Don't." He'd have to be crazy to let Inuzuka see her.

* * *

"Sasuke-kun? Is that you?"

"Hn."

"Where am I?"

"…in bed. You have a fever. Now lie down."

"Okay."

Silence.

"Sasuke-kun?"

"Hm?"

"Will you stay here with me?"

"Mm."

Silence.

"Sasuke-kun?"

"Hm?"

Her next words came out in a whisper before she fell asleep, the same three words he'd heard her say so many times before. "I love you…" Yet they had never affected him like this before.

So instead of keeping quiet, he said the only thing he could think of at the moment, "I know."

* * *

It was the day she'd test her theory; the day she would most likely turn back into her older self. Tonight was going to be a full moon, and the only thing she had left to do was go to her apartment and pick up some clothes.

Sasuke was already taking her there, carrying her piggy-back style over the rooftops, since she was too small to keep up with him otherwise.

Arriving at her apartment, Yuzu went directly to her bedroom, taking out a pair of clothes. Sasuke walked in moments later. "You should probably take more than just one. Never know if you'll need them."

"Un. Thank you, Sasuke-kun."

* * *

"Ready to go?"

"…"

"Yuzu."

Still no response. He _knew _she was there; he could sense her chakra. But why was the room so dark? He could barely see anything… "Sakura?"

"Hm? Oh, I'm sorry. I was just…thinking." Her voice was coming from the bed, so he guessed she was sitting on it. There was something strange about her voice; it sounded like she was a thousand miles away…

"Thinking? About what?"

"Just…things. My parents, my friends, Naruto, Sai, Kakashi-sensei…you." Her words were a whisper, the hint of her older self weaved into them. Something felt…_different_. Or was he just imagining it? "You know, Sasuke-kun, if I have to stay like this forever, I'll have to start over again. Go to the academy, make friends my own age, graduate, the chuunin exams, my training with medical ninjutsu…everything."

Ah, so that's what she'd been thinking about. Still, he knew there was something more. Something she probably didn't want to tell him. So he asked, "And?"

"…and then there's seeing you marry someone I don't know."

That caught him off-guard. He knew it was going to have something to do with him, but never this. And now that he thought about it, it made sense. By the time she would turn nineteen again, he'd already be thirty-five. The others would be, too. To make it worse, he wouldn't be able to go to her like he used to, because she would be too busy growing up all over again. Damn, he wouldn't be able to be near her as much as he was used to…no more Sakura to comfort him, to annoy him so much he couldn't help but smirk at her displays of affection; all of that, and more, would be gone.

Sasuke turned to face the door again. "We'll just have to change you back soon, then."

* * *

"_I love you…"_

Words he wouldn't hear anymore if they didn't find a way to turn her back. Words he'd gotten used to hearing, which were sometimes the only thing he actually looked forward to when he came home from a mission. Words that he knew were _real_, even if he pretended not to care.

He really needed to punch something.

* * *

**A/N: **I almost forgot, thank you guys for all the reviews! They make me really happy. Especially the long ones. c:

Has anyone noticed how he always takes his anger out on poor, defenseless trees?


	5. Returning

**Stuck With You  
by sweetreject**

Chapter 5:  
Returning

* * *

The jutsu, as Sakura figured out that morning, _did _become affected by a full moon, which brought her one step closer to figuring out a way to turn into her older self again. At least now she knew what caused the jutsu to lift for only a day.

She'd asked Sasuke to go to sleep a few hours ago, just in case it didn't work; at least _one _of them would get some sleep. So now she was her older self again, sitting up next to Sasuke in his bed.

What was she supposed to do now that she had this new piece of information?

* * *

Sasuke was shaken out of his sleep, moments before the sun started to crawl lazily across the sky. _It's not even six in the morning yet… _The Hokage monuments looking over the village blocked most of the sun's blazing rays; which meant the sun wasn't the reason he'd woken up.

He'd _felt _something, he just didn't know what it was. _An enemy?_

A second later he finally understood; someone was knocking on the door. Obviously, his mind had alerted him to the presence of someone unfamiliar approaching…

The knocking persisted. Right, he should get it before it woke up Sakura.

But, never in a million years, did he expect to see _that _person standing in his doorway, half-dead and still managing to look intimidating.

"Gaara? What the—What the hell happened to _you_?"

"Good morning to you too, Uchiha." His voice was raspier than usual; his body wobbly as he walked inside and leaned against the wall for support. "Is Sakura alright?"

Sasuke stared for a moment, before closing the door. "So you knew Sakura was here."

Gaara blinked. "I can sense Sakura's chakra anywhere."

Instead of answering, Sasuke turned around. "I'll go get her."

A moment later, he came back, with a half-asleep Sakura trailing behind him. Why'd he have to wake her up so early? She'd barely fallen asleep a few hours ago…not to mention— A choked sound came from deep within her throat. _Gaara? But he's_—_ Wait, what is he…what the hell is going on?_

Because of the jutsu, she couldn't talk at all; which left her with one option: stand in her pajamas, pointing and gaping at Gaara. In short, looking like an idiot.

"…why the hell is she looking at me like that?"

"Because she can't speak." Sasuke found it somewhat amusing to watch, but he also realized something. If Gaara was here, that meant Sakura would be able to turn back. She wouldn't be stuck in her three-year-old body anymore…oh, and it confirmed that Gaara wasn't dead (like _he _cared, though). The only thing that mattered was that he'd have her back; Sakura. Something inside of him felt different. He'd have her back…somehow, those words took away his anger at being woken up early, at seeing Sakura crying over Gaara like he was the most important person in her world…screw it, that still made him mad for some reason.

"You mind telling us how to change her back? It's—" A pat on his shoulder made him stop talking. Sakura shook her head slowly, then pointed at Gaara's body. Turning to look back at Gaara, he said, almost begrudgingly, "…right. You're dying; you should probably do something about that." When Sakura tried to pull Gaara towards the couch and almost ended up falling, he sighed. "Let _me _do it. You're at your weakest like this, right?"

Sakura nodded. She needed to heal Gaara, which would cut her chakra supply by at least half; the remaining half would be used up by the jutsu. What would happen if she ran out? Would her body turn back into a three-year-olds? _Wait a minute…it's already been two months since I came here, so why is Gaara's body still injured? These are the same wounds he received on our mission; the cut running across his cheek and the one on his left shoulder proves it. What in the world…?_

As if reading Sakura's mind, Gaara said in that same near-fainting-raspy voice, "My wounds haven't healed since the ambush. I've been like this the whole time."

Sasuke frowned. "For _two months_? Your body would have already healed on its own, wouldn't it?"

Gaara's eyes met Sakura's. "I _can't _heal on my own. Not until the jutsu's effects wear off. Or I receive medical treatment." He winced. Sakura's probing fingers on his torso weren't very gentle; her hands were shaking. "…there might be a way to turn you back, Sakura. But we'll have to wait until I'm back to my normal strength; if we try it now, I might end up killing you."

Sakura nodded, sighing in relief. _There's a probability that I'll turn back! I won't have to stay like this for much longer…_ Her eyes wandered over his body again, taking in the numerous gashes and cuts. This was all because she hadn't wanted to run; because she'd been stubborn and decided to stay instead of following his orders. _Because he wouldn't let them near me, no matter how many times he got hit. _She frowned, trying hard not to cry again. After everything he did for her, she was _crying_? But her eyes wouldn't obey her commands; even biting the inside of her cheek didn't help this time.

Which only made her angry: If girls cried over these things, why didn't _guys _do the same? Gaara was probably thinking Sakura was pretty stupid for staying when she had the opportunity to run away. She _had _disobeyed his orders, after all. But how could she _do _that? The only thing running through her mind on that day was that she _wouldn't let him die_. The others had already suffered a tragic death; she wasn't about to let the last of her comrades alone to fight off dozens of ninja. If it had been Sasuke, or Naruto, or even Choji, who she barely knew at all, she would have done the same thing for them.

His face was now spotless…well, except for the dirt and dried blood that still covered it. _But still…at least he's alright. It doesn't seem like he's lost too much blood; he'll be fine as long as he rests for a day or two. Or maybe half a day; he's always healed faster than regular patients… _She glared at him, her eyes daring him to say anything about what she'd done during the mission.

He didn't say anything.

"Is this going to take long?"

Sakura nodded without looking away form her work; the gash on his left arm was deeper than she'd thought.

"Then I'm going out. Naruto'll come around here sooner or later if I don't go over to his place. I might as well do that now."

Okay, maybe that wasn't entirely true. He did have to go to Naruto's. But, strangely, he felt like he was suffocating in his own home. What reason could there be for that? He didn't know.

Whatever.

At least now he didn't have to watch Sakura taking care of Gaara.

* * *

It was silent for almost half an hour after Sasuke had left, which Gaara broke with, "There's a risk to turning you back, Sakura." in such a soft voice that it surprised her.

Sakura raised an eyebrow in question.

"I'll be taking most of the physical pain, of course, but there's also the high possibility that…"

Sakura nodded slowly, silently urging him to go on.

"…you won't remember anything before the jutsu; everything in your memory will be wiped out when it's completed."

* * *

Today wasn't a good day. For some reason, Naruto was even crazier than usual, if that was even possible. Had there ever been a time when Sasuke could come over to Naruto's little apartment and have the opportunity to leave without wanting to beat him up? That was getting old… This time, Naruto wouldn't stop talking and throwing things in the air, preferably _noodles_. "…still don't understand why she can't just send me! For all we know, Sakura-chan could be stuck under a pile of rocks without anyone to rescue her!"

_Or back at my place healing the Kazekage in her older body… _"Naruto, you've been rambling on about this for almost an hour. I'm leaving. But you can continue talking to yourself; it'll make you feel better."

He stood up and hurried out the door before Naruto could protest. How'd he ever end up with _Naruto _as a best friend, anyway? He smirked. _Dumb question. _

He wasn't in a hurry to get home, so his pace was slow, his footsteps silent.

The Yamanaka Flower shop was to his right; a quick glance inside proved what he'd been expecting for the past few minutes. Ino was trying to be cheerful in front of the customers, although the bags under her eyes seemed to give away everything; she hadn't gotten much sleep since the news of Sakura's disappearance had been announced. Shikamaru was standing next to her, occasionally glancing in her direction (she'd fainted from sleep deprivation more than once in the past two months).

Sakura would want to tell Ino everything if she found out about Ino's state of being. It was probably best if he didn't mention it.

This wasn't the usual route he took; the shortcut through the park was the fastest way to his house, but he wasn't in a hurry. Why would he be?

At least Sakura would be turning back soon. Then Gaara would go back to Sunagakure and resume his Kazekage duties. Sakura would be here with her friends; with him.

Everything was turning out okay. At least, that was what he thought.

* * *

**A/N: **Okay, first of all, I would like to say thanks to all the reviewers, especially Petite x Femme, because her review really made me smile! And yeah, I got Yuzu from Aishiteruze Baby. The book is just SO cute…AND you guys are just…so AWESOME! I mean, I never even expected this story to pass 100 reviews…but it did! So big thank you's to everyone! :D


	6. Promise

**Stuck With You  
by sweetreject**

Chapter 6:  
Promise

* * *

Every time she went on a mission, she'd promise herself that they would all come back alive. She never told them, of course. People would probably think it was unnecessary, even if she herself took it seriously. But, that one time, she forgot.

She'd woken up late, and when she joined her team, she was too preoccupied with going over the mission that she completely forgot to make that promise.

All four of them died.

Sakura hated to remember that moment. But it was her punishment; she would forever remember the looks on their faces when they were ambushed, the way she was unable to save them.

One of her teammates had a wife; she was pregnant, expecting a little girl in less than a month.

And she took that little girl's father away.

All because she didn't make that promise.

* * *

Sakura was resting when Sasuke returned home after dark. Gaara sat in the living room, staring blankly at the wall.

Without looking up, he addressed Sasuke, "Sakura's sleeping in your room. She didn't feel well enough to wait until you came back; she said she'd talk to you tomorrow."

Sasuke looked across the living room to the hallway, where his room was. "To talk about what?"

Gaara shook his head. Standing up slowly, he said, "It's up to her to say." Without another word, he disappeared in a blur of sand, leaving Sasuke standing alone in the dark.

What would she have to talk about?

Sighing, Sasuke opened the door to his room, silently slipping inside and closing the door.

He could hear Sakura's slow breathing as she slept. The moon shone brightly through the only window in his room, casting shadows over the bed where Sakura lay. He could see part of her face laying on the pillow, and the white sheets tangled around her. Her hair fell over her cheek and onto the pillow.

Sasuke didn't take notice that she was only wearing a t-shirt.

Seeing someone in his bed should have made him uneasy. After all, he never had people in his home; it was always quiet, always empty.

But, strangely, seeing Sakura sleeping on his bed made him feel like his house was finally a home.

It felt _right_.

He didn't realize what he was doing, didn't realize he was standing over her, until his hand was brushing away the piece of hair falling over her cheek. His hand froze when she stirred a little, but she quickly breathed normally again, and he dropped his hand to his side again.

What was he doing?

He felt like some pervert spying on an innocent girl.

Only, Sakura wasn't _innocent_. She'd gone through enough in her life to ever be considered innocent.

Sasuke's fists clenched. Before he'd left, he'd made a promise that he would never let them get hurt. That he would always protect them, because he didn't want his loved ones to die again.

Instead, he put her through so much, and all because she'd tried to get him to come back. She'd gotten hurt many times, all for his sake. Because she still believed that the old Sasuke, the one she knew, was somewhere inside him. But now she knew. He couldn't _love_; he didn't have the right to feel something so _**human**_.

He stared down at her. "Do I…even have the right to ask you to stay…?" _If she decided to fall in love with someone else, would I even have the right to tell her not to leave me? I hurt her; tried to __**kill **__her, yet she still says she…_

He shook his head. _No_.

Silently, he slipped in next to Sakura. Almost instantly he felt her reach out for him, and even though he told himself he didn't have the right to, he brought her against his chest, feeling a tremor run down his back as she pressed her body against his.

He didn't have a right to anything.

* * *

By the time Sasuke opened his eyes, the bright light coming in through the window almost blinded him as he sat up. The sun was already high up in the sky; had he really slept in until noon?

After taking a shower, he walked slowly towards the living room, feeling refreshed after sleeping for so long. He wasn't even halfway down the hallway when he felt someone slam into his legs, and the words, "Sasuke-kun!" muffled by his clothes.

"Sakura." He paused. "Get off."

She giggled. Without letting go of his legs, she smiled up at him and said, "Good morning, Sasuke-kun!"

"Hn." He glared down at her, though it was only half-heartedly. "Wait, didn't you want to talk about something?"

He felt her suddenly stiffen, and before he could ask what was wrong with her, she'd let go of his leg. "Sakura?"

She slowly looked up at him. Smiling, she said, "Gaara says he'll be able to turn me back soon; he just has to heal, so it'll be in about a week." Sasuke stared at her, searching her face for…something, he didn't know exactly what; Sakura was hiding something, and it was obvious the moment she smiled up at him. "For now, I'll just have to keep on being the lost little girl I'm supposed to be."

* * *

After Sasuke left to train that day, Sakura sat in the living room with Gaara, talking to him about nothing in particular. Looking at Gaara, she stopped talking. "Is something wrong?"

Gaara sighed. Looking Sakura straight in the eye, he asked, "Why didn't you tell him everything?"

It took Sakura a while to answer back, but when she did, she couldn't stop her voice from cracking, "I just don't want him to worry about me if it doesn't go right."

* * *

**N/A: **Short, I know, but the next chapter is the last one! I had to save some of the stuff so it'll make the last chapter a little longer.

Review? c:


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